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Labor

Labor

Poetry: Carlos Contreras

Published by communitypublishingabq@gmail.com on September 19, 2018 Respond

Hustle Hard by Carlos Contreras

Hi,
I’m Carlos and I’m a workaholic
that’s right, I got time to find time to
figure out just how to work more
before I clock out and the sun goes down…

When I get up, I hustle
was taught to not figure yourself out of the
fight until the final bell sounds – and right now
I am fighting for my life.

I,
am happy to have your workload if you can’t
handle it – I will get it done on my lunch hour
how’s that for food for thought?

I thought,
we were all put here to hustle?
no?

Yes,
I rest, when my eyes are closed
and one day, that will be infinitely
so – so, when I am extinct…
no longer a creature of creativity

and callused hands, no longer a man
but dust to dust – and so I shall return.

until then, I burn,
the wick at both ends
until it scorches between the tips of my
digits – and look back at the product
post putting in work and observe the
fruits of this labor.

It tastes like:
sweat
like blood
like tears
like pride –
I swallow it proudly.

Hi,
My name is Carlos
and I’m a workaholic –

I choose not to recover,
but rather to announce the fact
that I am proud of just how much
I can get done
while there’s still sun, and or
by the light of the moon –

*****

Find Carlos and Hakim Bellamy’s latest collection of poetry, Onna Tuesday by clicking here.

Poetry

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PoetCarlos Contreras has been recognized as a national champion performance poet.  He got his start in the area of competitive spoken word, or Slam Poetry. He is currently the Marketing Director for the City of Albuquerque, a community organizer and Programming Manager at Tractor Brewery Wells Park. He is the Founder of Imma Star Productions which is dedicated to promoting Poetry, Journalism, Activism, and Humanism. He grew up and resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  READ MORE

Community Publishing brings local artists of all mediums together in creative collaborations for distribution as multimedia books while promoting literacy in our communities. #JoinOurCommunity at http://communitypublishing.org
We are proud to be From the Community For the Community! 

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Celebrating Labor Day at the Rail Yards Market

Published by communitypublishingabq@gmail.com on August 29, 2014 Respond

By Alex Paramo

Alex Paramo Community Publishing

Alex Paramo

As most of us know, Labor Day is a Federal Holiday but what does it stand for or represent? If you were to go by ads on TV, print and online, you might think it is a holiday celebrating consumerism. For example neither Lowes Home Improvement stores nor Home Depot have any mention of their workers, let alone a thank you to them! It is a holiday to celebrate the work-force, the laborers who form the backbone of our society and make our machines that keep us on the go.

Labor Day

Blacksmith Shop – 1940’s

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, “Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.” The first national celebration of Labor Day was held in 1909 in New York City. The holiday itself was the impetus of labor unions scattered around the country. 

Celebrating Workers at the Rail Yards Market

Labor DayAt the Rail Yards Market (RYM) we are all laborers, workers for a common cause. The RYM is a space for working folks to display their arts, crafts, talents, efforts, energy and intellectual property to contribute to a larger societal benefit. Some of the talented laborers we are showcasing this week are:

Labor DayAt the Pop-Up Arts Zone we will be featuring,Alana Swartz who specializes in Wood sculpture & Relief. The Live Arts Zone will feature Serigraphy Master Rein Whitt-Pritchette. The Sustainability Zone will feature Larry ‘Pax’ Garcia. Mr. Garcia is the owner of Tortuga Gallery and he will present the makings and merits of Up-cycled Art. The Children’s Zone is featuring students from the Southwest University of Visual Arts (SUVA)

The Main and Community Stages bring you Albuquerque’s best in Music, Movement, Poetry and Dancing with (please click here for complete listing):

Labor Day

The Right Livelihood

Why do we work? For a paycheck? For a greater sense of self? For self-identification? Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh posited, “To practice Right Livelihood (samyag ajiva), you have to find a way to earn your living without transgressing your ideals of love and compassion.” At the RYM we celebrate all of our community of workers, laborers of all kinds engaged in creating a better local environment. No matter how big or small the task, all jobs are equally important when the goal is to create a vibrant, inclusive and equitable society. See You Sunday!

Alex Paramo is an Author and Co-Founder of Community Publishing. Community Publishing brings local artists of all mediums together in creative collaborations for distribution as multimedia eBooks while promoting literacy in our communities.

We are proud to be a community partner and digital marketer at the Rail Yards Market.#JoinOurCommunity at http://communitypublishing.org

 

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